The present embodiments relate to an arrangement having a robot including a robot arm that supports a device powered by supply lines.
One general problem in robots within the industrial and medical technology fields arises if a device supported by a robot arm is powered by a larger number of electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic and/or other supply lines. The supply lines may not be guided within the robot arm since corresponding moveable pins would be used for each supply line in each joint of the robot arm. The supply lines may therefore be guided to the device outside of the robot arm. To protect the supply lines from damage, the supply lines may be guided in a tube. Flexible tubes may be used herefor, since flexible tubes possess high flexibility in all directions in the case of high rigidity.
A line and/or tube provision is provided so that the mobility of the arrangement is not restricted. The line or tube guidance takes place such that the tube and the supply lines running in the tube are not damaged during movement of the robot arm and of the device supported by the robot and that the tube following the movements of the robot arm with an inertia-dependent delay does not cause damage to other components.
An arrangement is known from the patent application DE 10 2007 058 990 A1, whereby the supply lines are guided to the device from above. The supply lines are arranged on a gallows that is rotatably mounted on a rail-guided carriage and are suspended on a longitudinal section using at least one cable pull on the gallows side.
In other words, in accordance with DE 10 2007 058 990 A1, the tube provision is guided as close as possible to the device position by carriages and rotatable gallows. For movements of the device, which is detached using one or several cable pulls since the carriages and gallows of the device are not able to follow, the tube reserve may be available and released if necessary. This relates to device movements in the vertical direction and device movements on the outermost horizontal boundaries of the operating space.
The arrangement according to DE 10 2007 058 990 A1 is problematical in two respects. The design, including rail system, carriage and gallows, is mechanically complicated, and the tube and robot arm may collide.